I Think I Love You
by thatsyou
Summary: Pepper questions Tony about those five words and their implications. Set after Iron Man 2.
1. Chapter 1

**I Think I Love You [A Tony/Pepper, Iron Man 2 fic]**

"How about we head down now? I think they've cleared the area." Tony suggested gently.

"We should go back there." Pepper said and looked down the railing, then back at him. "Have you heard anything from Happy just yet?"

Tony wrapped his metal clad arm around her waist, preventing her from falling down the railing.

"He was with Natasha last time I spotted him," he said and frowned at the suspicious look on Pepper's face.

He mouthed a small 'what' before realizing that she was waiting for an explanation.

"Okay," he started with a sigh. "First off, I haven't slept with her, nor have I kissed her. Good?" He stopped and gauged her reaction.

After a few moments she nodded a little and waited for more.

"Second off, I only found out yesterday that Fury had made her watch after me because apparently he knew about my health condition better than I did." He looked at her for an awkward moment. "She's like a triple agent or something…"

Pepper merely nodded and looked down at her feet.

"Um… I think we can go now." Tony said. "You can hold onto my shoulders this time and tell me if you're uncomfortable. Should take just about thirty seconds…"

With that said, Tony wrapped his arms gently around her waist and waited patiently for her to wrap herself around him.

"Comfortable?" He asked her, feeling slightly amused at the look on her face.

"Yes Tony, very." Pepper murmured against his cheek and held tighter on his shoulders as he took off.

The moment they reached the concrete down below Pepper sighed in relief. She couldn't believe that she had let him off the hook again. Looking down at him, Pepper realized that he was staring at her lips quite intently.

"Tony…" She whispered and held back a small smile when his eyes snapped up to hers. "I think I'll call Happy and ask him to take me at the airport. I think the jet is still here and…"

"No, don't do that." He said with a frown. "I was thinking that you could stay here with me until tomorrow and we can go back home together." He settled her down gently and cupped her cheek with his metal clad hand.

Pepper brought both her hands up to his in an instant and held onto him.

"Tony… you don't understand. I'm still in shock after I accidentally heard your conversation with Natalie." Her blue eyes looked up into his. "But I guess it was half my fault that you couldn't tell me you were dying."

"It's not half your fault." He cleared his throat. "Maybe just a little, but I don't know, I guess I was too afraid of seeing that look on your face, or… or…"

Pepper silenced his babbling with two fingers on his lips.

"Are you okay now, right?"

Tony nodded slowly and kissed her fingertips. "I'm fine." He whispered.

An awkward silence settled around them, but suddenly there was a throat being cleared.

"Everything's in order, Miss Potts." A police officer came around the corner, surprising Tony and Pepper.

"Thank you." Pepper said kindly and added. "Will anybody clean up the mess left behind, or do I have to make some calls?"

"That won't be necessary." The officer said and nodded towards Tony in a sign of 'good job'. He nodded back thoughtfully and went back to watch Pepper's lips as she told the officer a few last things.

When the officer finally walked away, Pepper turned her eyes back to Tony's only to be surprised by the fact that he had pressed his lips back to hers again. She gasped against his lips and closed her eyes tightly at the way his arms wrapped around her waist and back, holding her against him. Her own arms went around his shoulders and one of her hands went into the slightly damp hair at the back of his neck.

"Mmm…" He moaned slightly and pulled back, licking his lips. "It's not weird or anything, right? Cause I was wondering if you liked it, but then of course, if you didn't like it or thought it was weird you would hurl something at my head, right?"

Pepper laughed at the mention of her hurling something at his head, but then turned serious and cupped both his cheeks in her hands.

"I'm sorry for threatening you, Tony, but I was really mad at you for parading with your suit that night at your birthday." She shook her head at him and sighed. "Answer me honestly, please."

Tony nodded and clutched her tighter to him.

"Can you remember what you told me at your party?" Her voice grew quiet.

Tony shrugged indifferently.

"No, I can't remember what it was. Why?"

Pepper dropped her hands away, disappointed.

"Wait a second, Pepper. Did I tell you something… important?" His voice was trembling. He feared that he had told her something about the way he felt about her.

"If you can't remember, then there's just no point in continuing this discussion. Anyway, I thought you said it just because you were drunk, and clearly, not thinking, so that confirms my suspicions." She smiled a little at him. "I'll see you at the penthouse."

Tony frowned at her, heard thudding hard in his chest, and he was pretty sure it wasn't from palladium poisoning. He turned his eyes towards a car that was approaching them.

"That's Happy." He acknowledged hesitantly. "Ask him if he's okay."

Pepper nodded and went over to the car, grimacing slightly when she saw Natalie in the front seat.

"Are you okay Happy?" She asked gently and looked him over.

"He's a little bit disappointed considering that he was beaten up pretty badly earlier." Natasha said and winked at Happy.

"Are you okay, Miss Potts?" She asked with a gentle tone that couldn't impress Pepper.

"I'm doing fine." She looked at Natalie, eyeing her costume.

"Oh, I'm sorry for not introducing myself properly." She held out her hand. "My name is Natasha Romanoff and if Tony didn't tell you, I'm a SHIELD agent."

_Tony. Tony… _

That word ran in her ears for a long time before she noticed her extended hand. She took it and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you for taking care of him. I know he might be reckless sometimes, but-" Pepper was cut off by the feel of Tony's cold hand on the small of her back.

"Agent Romanoff, Hogan…" Tony said with a nod. "Oh my god… Hogan you look a bit too shaken up. Did agent Romanoff beat your sorry ass?"

"Okay, I think that's enough Tony." Pepper said as she turned towards him.

She glared at him for a moment. "If you say so, Pepper. I'll meet you at the penthouse." He said and leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. "Drive safe Hogan."

Natasha eyed Pepper as she got inside and smirked when she saw the blush on Pepper's cheeks.

"I have arranged a flight tomorrow at noon." Natasha informed Pepper with another smirk, seeing as Pepper looked very distracted. "About Mr. Stark's condition…"

"That's fine. You don't have to make excuses for him being incompetent." Pepper cut her off. "Besides, I'd like to thank you and your boss for everything."

Natasha nodded and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I want to inform you that I wasn't planning on sleeping with him." Pepper's heart skipped a beat. "And I did not. He was too wasted and I wouldn't have liked it anyway, seeing all those black lines on his chest… You get the point, don't you?"

"Yes, that's…" Pepper was at a loss for words.

Natasha turned her head towards her and gave her a serious look.

"Tony's a great guy and he's been trying to tell you he was dying for a few months now. If you hadn't cut him off that time when he came to apologize at your office…"

"I did NOT cut him off. I was already mad at him for what happened at his party."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"I think that's a good reason, but he's a human being. We all make mistakes."

Pepper listened to the other redhead and lay back against the seat, closing her eyes. The discussion was overwhelming her. The events of that day summed up into a disaster waiting to happen.

_We all make mistakes. _

Yes, and the fact that she had let Tony kiss her was a _big _mistake.

Pepper rubbed her temples and just breathed in and out. There was no way she was going to sleep before asking Tony what the hell was in his genius mind, because one minute ago he was telling her she deserved better and in the next minute he was kissing her.

This is not how they used to work… not at all.

She shook her head and looked outside the window. The only thing she could do was to stop thinking about what happened and move forward. _It's not like he had meant it anyway._

It was just a matter of time until she would find Tony asleep somewhere around his penthouse. She could only hope that he'd taken a shower and dressed in some comfortable clothes because she knew she couldn't stand to see him covered in bruises or _blood. _

She should have thought better than kissing him back.

Yet there she was, standing in the dark hallway and trying not to hyperventilate at the sight of a few fresh blood drops on the thick white carpet. The contrast of color was enough to make her stomach twist and she covered her mouth with her hands, trying to suppress a sob.

This is not how they used to work.

The next thing she heard was the sound of the water running upstairs. She took one step at the time, heart in her throat. Her heart began to flutter wildly in her chest when she found the door of the bathroom wide opened. Ignoring the steam she walked inside, closing the door after her.

"Pepper?" She heard Tony ask, startled.

He turned off the water and turned half towards her, covering his chest with a towel.

"Are you bleeding?" She asked, heart beating abnormally fast at his action.

He shook his head and got out of the shower, ignoring the fact that he was naked and exposed to her. As much as he wanted to look detached, he just couldn't. Being around her made him feel vulnerable and he was absolutely terrified – terrified that he would screw everything up like he usually did, and that meant loosing the single person whom he trusted and loved.

"Tony…" Pepper whispered and moved towards him until they were face to face again. His eyes watched the pulse at the base of her neck and how fast it was. He wanted to press his lips against it gently and hear how she would gasp his name, but unfortunately the circumstances weren't letting him do that.

"I'm not bleeding." He whispered. "I mean… I was, but it stopped once I pressed my lips to yours."

Her eyes went up to his and a gentle look of insecurity crossed her face.

"That's not what I meant, Tony." She said gently, a hint of regret in her voice.

"Are you regretting it?" He asked with his heart in his throat, fearing for the worst.

She didn't say anything, though. Keeping her eyes glued to his she moved her hands up to his where he was holding the towel above his chest, and wrapped her hands around his fisted ones.

"Pepper… Are you regretting it?" He asked again, whispering.

"Would I be standing here if I regretted every single thing, Tony?"

Her response shocked him. Honestly he hadn't expected that answer. His mind could only create the worst scenarios possible. He opened his mouth but nothing came out, but Pepper had expected that. She was the only one who could render Tony Stark speechless at her leisure.

"Let me see…" She whispered and looked down at his covered chest, tugging slightly at his hands.

"Um… I don't think it's a good idea." He said and moved away from her.

Her hand on his arm stopped him in his tracks.

"I'm not regretting anything, Tony. I need you to trust me and open yourself to me." She told him. "If you really want things to be more than just one kiss, please let me see if you're okay."

Tony nodded after pondering her offer and let the towel fall down to his feet.

"Tony…" Pepper's voice was trembling as she spoke his name.

"It's not as bad as it looks." He said, feeling nervous. His hands took hers and laid them on his arc reactor.

Pepper swallowed hard and ignored the drops of water that were falling down his abs and lower to the thick fur below his waistline.

"Jarvis says the palladium will get out of my system in about forty-eight hours, so… um." He cleared his throat. "This really isn't as bad as it looks. Trust me. I've been worse."

"Are you being upfront with me right now?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Pepper. I'm being upfront with you."

"Alright." She nodded and slowly moved her fingertips over the black veins around his arc reactor.

Tony closed his eyes and enjoyed the torture of her fingertips over his skin and groaned when she pulled away.

"We should rest." She suggested.

Tony nodded and smiled at her before turning serious.

"Are you going to sleep with me?"

Pepper nodded and for the first time in over ten years she knew he wasn't referring to sex.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

Pepper woke up in a different position than she had fallen asleep. She could feel a warm breath sliding down her neck and a heavy arm around her waist. After a few moments she turned in his arms and settled her head below his chin, inhaling his scent.

His own arms held her tighter around him and after a few moments he sighed. Pepper raised her head up and looked at him sleepily.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly through a yawn.

Tony smiled and pushed back a strand of hair from her face. His touch lingered on her cheek and he smiled even more.

"I was thinking that God did me a great favor, that's all."

"I see," she whispered and her own hand came up to touch his face. "And what would that great favor be?"

"You." He responded simply. "Just you."

His hand cupped her cheek and pulled her down to him in a gentle kiss. The kiss continued for another few minutes when Tony pulled away smiling.

"I'm so grateful, you know?" His voice was raspy and unlike him. "Because let's face it. I'm a dead man without you."

"You would have been a dead man with, or without me. That's not the point, Tony."

"But do you know what the point is?" He asked her softly. "I wouldn't be able to live without you."

He paused a little and watched her think about those words.

"And that stunt you pulled last night about quitting… You should know by now that I won't allow that thing to happen."

"Well, till now you've managed to stop me from quitting about two times."

"Aren't you happy that you're still here? I mean like…"

Pepper cut him off with a sigh.

"Happiness is underrated. I guess I'm grateful as well, for this." She said and touched his arc reactor through his wifebeater.

Tony's hand rested atop of hers on his arc and his eyes searched for hers.

"Look at me." He whispered and continued when she did. "I'm sorry for being an asshole to you all these past months. It was hard for me to change into a better person, and I guess all I needed was the assurance that you felt happy that I was trying to change for you, uh… I mean, for the benefit of us."

Pepper nodded and kissed his cheek. "I'm happy for you, but I have a question."

Tony looked at her expectantly and bit his lower lip.

"How come, every guy has the courage to speak from his heart only when he's drunk?"

Tony swallowed hard because he knew it was an allusion to him and what happened at his birthday party.

"Let me put it this way. In my case, well, I was dying…"

"You don't have to make any excuses." She said, sounding like he had the night before. "This isn't about you."

"But it is." Tony tried. "What did I tell you?"

Pepper hesitated for a moment. "Well, you were really drunk."

"I'm aware of that. Thank you very much." He tried to act nonchalantly about it, but it hurt him no matter what.

"I'm not trying to accuse you of anything. You've always loved to drink, Tony, and that's not a secret."

"Didn't you notice that I have stopped drinking almost entirely after I came back from that hell?"

"I noticed, Tony. But it came back after just a few months."

"I was dying."

"Yes, yes you were. But that's not an excuse for almost killing someone at your birthday party."

Tony blinked at her a few times. "Are you talking about Rhodey?"

Pepper looked at him and saw the hurt in his eyes. Her whole chest hurt and she could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm talking about everyone that was there, Tony." She paused for a moment and wiped her eyes with her hand. "Couldn't you have just told me?"

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He was at a loss for words.

"Didn't you maybe realize that you managed _somehow _to humiliate me in front of everyone that was present in your living room that night?"

"It wasn't my intention."

"It wasn't." Pepper snorted in annoyance and stood up, reaching for a robe.

"I said I was sorry." Tony said and reached out to touch her arm.

"That doesn't explain why you dared to tell me to give you a smooch in front of LA's elite."

"Oh, that…"

"You remember that, don't you?" Pepper turned towards him and peeled his hand away from her arm.

"I was just trying to kiss you, because let's face it. I wouldn't have done that while sober."

"Do you know what hurt me the most?"

Tony swallowed hard and waited for the rest of it.

"It hurt me the fact that you completely ignored the fact that you could have gotten someone killed, and the fact that when I tried to stop you, you called me 'gorgeous' and if that wasn't enough, you said you thought you loved me. Why do you have to say that if you don't mean it, Tony?"

The words smacked Tony right across his head and he realized what she must have believed about him spilling the truth like that.

"Do you have any idea what that made me feel like? Standing there, in front of maybe a hundred people with you babbling around the fact that you thought I was gorgeous, and when you leaned in to kiss me… You like playing with feelings and when it comes to your own, I've got to be careful."

"And then you purposefully ignored my advice and decided an after party would be more appropriate to the state you were already in." Pepper shook her head and tried not to hyperventilate.

"You're wrong about my intentions, Pepper." Tony whispered and stood up behind her. He put his hands on her elbows and turned her to him. With two fingers he tipped her chin up in order for her to look at him. "I care about you and even if I was drunk that night, you should have known that I meant it."

When Pepper didn't say anything, he continued. "You were wondering why I was acting like an asshole to you that night, well, here's why. You completely ignored me all night and decided it was best to run away from me each time I tried to find you and beg you to dance with me for the sake of old times."

"For the sake of old times? Tony…"

"Shhh… let me say this." He pleaded with her. "I couldn't stop thinking about you ever since that night when we first danced. And when you said you didn't want to be with me, I somehow got it. You were afraid and I understand now. With me being Iron Man and the implications that come with it… Well, I think what I'm trying to say is that for the past six months I only wanted to be with you, but you've always found a method to either ignore me or turn me down."

"I've been trying to tell you everything in the last couple of months but I couldn't bring myself do to it. I knew our relationship was already pretty fragile and I didn't want you to think that I was just kidding, so I kind of promised myself not to spill out the truth about my health, neither about my feelings for you. And that's why it came out badly at my birthday party."

"Tony…"

"I really, really care about you, Pepper. And I don't want you to think I'm being an ass right now, which by the way, I'm trying not to be, but it's hard when everything's so complicated."

"Our lives are complicated." She agreed and looked down at her feet.

"We could make them uncomplicated if you had a little trust in me."

Pepper looked up at him and brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"I trust you, Tony, but not with everything. There are still parts of me that remind me of everything that happened in the past, and even if I wanted to trust you completely, I know I couldn't."

"That hurts…" Tony whispered and looked down too. "I wish I could change who I am, but I can't."

"That's right, Tony, but you don't have to change. You've changed enough and all I wish is that you stop hiding your fears and secrets from me. I'm only trying to make our lives uncomplicated."

"I'm trying to, but it's not that easy…"

Pepper looked up at him and stroked his face with both her hands. There were wrinkles that once weren't there and there were also a few white hairs starting to grow in his goatee. Then was when she realized how truly fragile he could be.

"I can handle you." She promised, then smiled when he wrapped his arms around her and put her head on his chest.

"I'm going to make this okay." He promised and they stood there embraced for a long time.

**THE END**


End file.
